


To be an Ackerman

by roselinegrey



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Crimes & Criminals, Dominant Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Drama & Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Gambling, Hate Crimes, Modern Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Oral Sex, POV Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Partners in Crime, Partners to Lovers, Partying, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Reader-Insert, References to Drugs, Sex-Trafficking, Sexual Abuse, Smoking, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:01:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28138101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roselinegrey/pseuds/roselinegrey
Summary: “Levi, you need to pick one soon.”“And what if I don’t?”“The Ackerman bloodline and resources will be lost or stolen. Whichever comes first.”A woman in post-war 1920s London is tasked with a heavy job: Marry Levi Ackerman and produce an heir to protect the sacred information of the Ackermans. One socially-awkward man paired with a quick-witted woman makes an unexpected couple of the decade. But as circumstances force them to work with each other as crime partners, more trouble comes their way as greed and dishonesty prevent Levi from living a calm life with his new wife.
Relationships: Erwin/Reader, Levi/Erwin Smith, Levi/Petra Ral, Levi/Reader, Levi/Special Operations Squad | Squad Levi, Levi/Zeke (Shingeki no Kyojin), Zeke (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader
Comments: 44
Kudos: 137





	1. Mrs. Ackerman

**Author's Note:**

> I made an ongoing Pinterest board for a better setting reference, enjoy!
> 
> https://pin.it/64ty1MX

**Day 1**

The World War finished and London has been more vibrant than ever. Jazz clubs and cocktail bars left and right, women sported shorter hairstyles and wore more revealing dresses; it was a time to be a young lady of independence. 

However, the cheery atmosphere all came down when your father had decided to arrange a marriage for you this year to a rich noble so that the family debt would be solved once and for all. It was against your initial judgment, you argued and fought countless times trying to convince him to at least save a little dignity for yourself, yet here you are sitting at the clerk and recorder’s office waiting for an unknown man to sign your life to. 

The sounds of sharp boots walking in the reception hallway grab your attention. A deep, husky monotone voice called out, “Mr. Hazelton?”

Your father quickly stands up to face the man and you follow suit. Looking at the man that entered the room, you notice he was in a police uniform, paired with a black undercut, sharp jawline, and narrowed gray-blue eyes. 

“Oh! Good morning Mr. Ackerman, we’ve got nice weather out today, eh?” Said your father enthusiastically.

He grunts in response, then his steel eyes float over to you. “Is this her?” Mr. Ackerman asks.

Your father quickly nods, “Prettier than the photo, don’t you think?” Your mind races and ponders ‘what photo?’, but you quickly recompose yourself as you did a little curtsy at the man. 

“Pleased to meet you, sir.” You said with a tight smile. 

He continues to put on a stoic mask, “I’ve already settled the payment to your account, Mr. Hazelton.”

Your father nods then turns around to hold your left hand, a face mixed with reluctance and guilt, “This is Levi Ackerman, Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard. He’s the man you will be married to.” 

“I- I…” you stammer out. Your brain is getting anxious, you want to scream, run away, anything but marry a complete stranger. But you stand still, unable to resist your father’s request. Levi raises an unimpressed eyebrow at you, “Come on, I don’t have all day to wait for you to speak a full sentence. Let’s get this finished.”

It all passes by in a blur, signing your name on a wedding certificate, hugging your father goodbye, and riding away in a police car as the busy city strays further and further till you can only see rows of tall trees and bushes. 

The car ride was filled with awkwardness and silence. You try to steal glances at the man next to you, but all you deduced was that he either has a naturally pissed-off face or it’s been an awful morning for him. He seems to notice your peeking, “What are you looking at, brat?”

You scoff, “Excuse me? Sorry if I’m just trying to get a better look at who my new husband is. No need to call me a brat.” 

He responds with silence as his attention goes back onto the road. Before you lose the courage, you try to continue the conversation, “So, you’re the Chief Inspector. How’s that going?”

“It’s confidential,” Levi says with a straight face.

Frowning at his response, you pry a little more, “Alright then, how long have you worked at Scotland Yard?”

He blinks a few times, “Five years,”

You lean your arm on the window sill, “Really? Only five years and you earned the Chief’s position. What’d you do to get there? Bribe the Commander?”

Narrowed cold eyes flick towards you with disapproval, “I did no such thing. Now sit properly or you’ll get the windows dirty.” 

You can’t help but feel that he treats you like a child. Or maybe he has no sense of humor. More moments of silence before you asked again, “Mr. Ackerman, where are we going?”

“The estate, I’ll explain more when we get there.” Comes a terse reply.

You want to call your sister and tell her about all the events that went down so far, but before you could even think about where to find a telephone, the car drives into a lavish gate and down the driveway, where you can now fully see a mansion of dark blue roof tiles with sturdy white walls, and four stories worth of windows that oversee the large fountain and small garden of which you just passed by. 

As the car comes to a halt, an older man dressed in a black suit walks down the front steps and opens the car door for you, “Welcome to the Ackerman estate, my lady.”

Levi gets out of the car and nods at the old man as the three of you step inside the grand front door. Your first reaction is to gasp at how bright and shiny the foyer is. A giant sparkling chandelier hangs above your head, marble floors beneath your feet, and a long winding staircase that splits into two sides. You also notice a lot of heavy wooden doors on the sides, wondering where they could lead in this new environment. 

In the center of the foyer sits a fancy marble table with a large flower vase on top, with three other people on the side standing and smiling awkwardly at you. They look like they could be teenagers, and before you spoke, Levi had cut in.

“I’ve already wasted enough time with that slow-ass receptionist. I’ll just introduce you to the other members of this fucking palace.” Levi says with a bored tone. 

He continues and nods his head towards the teens, “Sasha Braun the maid, Connie Springer the errands boy and gardener, Jean Kirstein the cook, and Charles the butler who greeted you earlier. If you need anything just ask them.” 

Slightly taken aback at his brash choice of language, you let it slide for now. The party of three either curtsied or bowed at you, saying “Welcome home, my lady” in unison.

“Home?” You blank out at that word. This mansion that could fit a town’s population is now your home? 

Levi took a final glance before heading out, “I’ve got to return to the office, don’t wait up for me and do whatever you want. Just don’t make a mess.” He makes an emphasis on the last sentence as his steps pause for a second, “Oh, and Charles, show her the rings.”

With that, the man who is now your legal husband walked out of the front doors and drove away.

Sasha is the first one to speak, “May I take your belongings to the bedroom, my lady?” Her eyes shine brightly.

Hesitating for a second, you say “Um, I didn’t bring any. It was quite an unexpected trip....may I please use your telephone?” 

The young trio displayed a confused expression at your response. However, the butler quickly dissolved the issue, “Certainly, let me show the way to the drawing-room. Perhaps you would also like a tour of your new home afterward?”

You simply nod at his invitation and follow him to one of the hallways and into a room. The drawing room is beautiful and warmed by the sun, filled with rows of bookshelves, soft-looking couches, a fireplace, a full-size piano, and vintage paintings of European scenery bordered with gold rims. Spotting the telephone in a corner of the room, you reach for it immediately and turn around to ask the butler Charles to give you some privacy. After dialing, the other end of the line eventually answers as your sister’s voice reaches your ears. “Hello? This is Mrs. Eddington speaking.” She says.

“Edith? It’s me.” You said quietly.

It takes a second for her to recognize your voice, but she eventually replies, “Oh! It’s been a while! How are you doing? I overheard from father’s conversations that you were getting married soon. Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing someone?”

As you inhale, you prepare yourself to exhale the details. “I wasn’t. Father arranged this marriage for me. It’s best for the family, he said.”

“What! This has to be some kind of joke. Father would never do that to you, you are his favorite, after all.” Comes a shocking reply. 

You continue, “Favorites don’t work this time, Edith. You know father’s debts were getting worse and desperate. Plus his gambling ‘friends’ all backed out. I signed the marriage papers this morning and now I’m in this new mansion with servants who call me ‘my lady’,” 

Hearing your sister’s shortened breathing, you know that she’s trying to wrap her head around everything you just said. “I’m so so sorry, I wish I could’ve done something sooner. Crap, I would’ve gone out working if-”

“No, no. You’ve got your own family to look after, and you can’t balance working when you have a cute two-year-old child at home.” You sadly said as you clung to the telephone. 

Edith sighs, “Well, is there anything I can do now? I feel like I’m not being a supportive sister.”

Thinking over what you might need, you finally say, “Yes, could you pack and ship my belongings from father’s place? I realize I didn’t bring any of my own things other than the clothes I’m currently wearing.” You ended with a dry laugh. 

The phone call was quickly finished as Edith agreed to grab your items and promised to visit you in the coming months. As you hang up the phone, you ready yourself to face whatever may come next.

Walking outside of the drawing-room, you notice Charles standing at the end of the hallway waiting for you. Once he notices your frame, he nodded his head towards you. “Would you like to have some lunch, my lady?

With a sigh, you compose yourself. “Yes, please. Lunch sounds good. Do you have any chamomile tea?”

As he leads you to the dining room, he chuckles at your question, “Of course we do. Mr. Ackerman always has a wide variety of tea saved in this place.”

_ So he’s a tea lover as well _ , you thought.

Sitting down at the long mahogany dining table that could fit ten people, you are suddenly brought plates upon plates of food. Jean, you remember as the cook, carried a large tray that had sandwiches, a salad, a soup, and tiny jars of jam to pair with the scones. 

“Oh, this looks tasty. Thank you, Jean.” You smile at him. The boy slightly freezes at your compliment and mutters a quiet “No problem” before scurrying off. 

You try to eat a bit of everything on the table, yet the curiosity of everything regarding the Ackerman’s and your new life is eating away at you. 

“Charles?” You call out as the butler pours the chamomile tea. 

“Yes, my lady?” He answers.

You roll your eyes a little, “Firstly, stop calling me ‘my lady’. Either ‘Miss’ or my first name is fine. And, um, about Mr. Ackerman, actually not just him, um how should I phrase this.. ”

Charles gives you a small grin, “You wish to know about the Ackerman family?”

Seeing you nod as a response, he began to let out a series of information. “The Ackerman family has existed for centuries with French origins and later immigrated to Britain during the 1800s. They were mostly known as the underdog for the royal family and helping the King finish any side-businesses. What is peculiar about this bloodline is that although it is deemed as one of the nobles, in recent decades people have not heard or seen the head of house. Some gossip and say that they have died off or had gone in hiding after a risky job, but only a few knew of the truth.”

You sip on your tea, “The truth being?”

“The Ackermans had decided to lay low due to the amount of power-hungry officials. You see, Miss, the most valuable power the Ackermans hold is the compiled knowledge of generations upon generations which sits in the Library, ranging from previous confidential war documents to voodoo witchcraft books. Many members of the Ackerman family experience untimely death due to the greed of others,” said the butler. 

Hearing about the family history is making you queasy, “It sounds like a heavy burden to protect all that knowledge,” You commented.

Charles simply nodded before continuing, “Indeed. In fact, Mr. Ackerman only recently discovered his true identity last year, before that he was just Levi. No last name, no records of his family background. It all changed when his uncle suddenly reappeared in his life to pass on the duty of the head of house.”

“Levi... that must have been a surprise. His uncle? Where is he now?” You pressed on.

Charles pressed his lips into a line, “Ah, that I do not know. You may have to ask Mr. Ackerman yourself.” 

You store that fact in the back of your head, it’s a topic for another time, “How about other relatives? Any still alive?” 

The butler’s eyebrows furrowed, “There is one that we know of, Mikasa Ackerman. However, we learned that her parents had been murdered and she had been under the care of the Jaeger’s.” 

A slight pause, “We are not sure what their exact relations could be. She is quite young, perhaps around fifteen or sixteen, so we can at least guess that they are distant relatives.” 

Mouth slightly apart, you struggle to find the right words to say, “I-I, poor girl. The Ackermans really thinned out, huh.”

A sudden realization came to mind, “Wait, but what am I doing here? What am I supposed to do? Frankly, this is a lot to indulge.” 

You put one hand to rest on your chin, and sighed out, “My father married me off without telling me who the man is until today.” You can feel the frustration rising once more but quickly took deep breaths to push it away.

Still irritated, your hard grip on the tea handle causes Charles to politely point at the cup, “Please be careful with the cutlery, it is a valuable object in the house. But yes, I am sorry you were thrown into this situation. Once Mr. Ackerman took on his new role, he is required to marry and produce an heir to continue the bloodline, which ultimately is to protect the Library. ” 

You loosen the grip on the handle, letting it rest on the dining table with a small clink. Your emotions go suddenly numb from the series of heavy new information drilled into your head. 

Charles continues despite seeing your distress, “And now that you are the Lady, your main duty is to give birth and play the role of securing the child’s future as well as be a loyal wife.” 

Shaking your head gently, you then look at Charles straight in the eye, “B-but why me? I get that I am from an aristocratic family, but aren’t there better candidates? Surely Levi would choose someone with more experience with this type of...job?”

“He tried to put off the marriage as long as possible, but with the pressure of gaining his new title and its assets, he is expected to start a family within this year. As for why he chose you, once again, I am sorry I do not know the answer.” Charles finishes.

The fact that your new husband is from an ancient, powerful bloodline and the pressure to produce an heir makes you shiver with unease. You let out a scoff, “Call it a bad first impression, but I don’t think he and I are a good match.”

The old butler simply gives you a sympathetic smile as he clears away the empty dishes, “All relationships take time, I am sure you will do just fine.” 

When Charles returned, there was a black box the size of a chess set held in his hands, “Here are the ring selections, Mr. Ackerman gave you the liberty to pick from these. Most of them are family heirlooms. Should you find none to your liking, we may make one from scratch as well.” 

Eyes widening, you see rows of sparkling potential wedding rings. “Wow, all of these are beautiful.” You took your time to try each on, seeing which shines the most in the daylight or fits best on your finger. Despite all the colorful options and diamonds, you settled with a light-golden band that has a tear-shaped gray gemstone with tiny diamonds that outlines the ring, adorning a hint of blue in the bright light. 

“I’ll choose this one.” You said with a satisfied smile. 

A thought entered your mind as you admired the ring, “What will he wear?” 

Charles took out another black box, you notice it’s one for the men. After glancing at another set of rings, the butler identified the one that matched yours. It was a wedding band of the same golden shade with the small diamonds encircling the middle of the ring. “Aha, this is the one. I will give this to Mr. Ackerman as soon as possible.” 

You nod at the decision, “Well, I hope he’ll like it.” you said with a hint of uncertainty. 

“No need to worry, Mr. Ackerman is not picky with these items. Now, perhaps a tour of the house will lighten up the mood?” Charles said as he closed the boxes. 

Pushing away from the table to stand up, you accept the touring offer. The lunch Jean provided wasn’t the only thing you needed to digest. 

* * *

For the rest of the day, Charles and Sasha helped you familiarize the estate. You counted a total of ten bedrooms and fifteen lavatories, with some offices and other rooms you assumed were for entertainment. Everything you wanted was within this house. There are a greenhouse and beautiful flower garden-maze in the back, an outdoor pool, a medium-sized ballroom, and finally, the Library. 

You found yourself lost in the number of bookshelves and display casings in the Library, some locked and some openly shown, and you soon picked up a book labeled ‘Ackerman 1710-1740’. Flipping through the first few pages, you realize it was a log or diary of some sort, written in cursives of the life accomplishments of the Ackerman Head during those years. 

Sasha found you cuddled up with the book next to the crackling fireplace. The maid gently shakes your shoulder, “Sorry to disturb you Miss, but would you still like to eat dinner? It is just past nine o’clock.”

You groggily get up from the couch, “It’s that late already? Is Mr. Ackerman back?”

“No, Miss. He is still at headquarters.” Sasha said.

Humming in acknowledgment, you decide to head to bed after putting back the journal on its shelf. Sasha leads the way, and walking in the long hallways with dimly lit candles on the walls makes you slightly alert. The house whistles softly as the evening breeze outside seep its way indoors. It would take a while to be familiar with this mansion, and even more time to consider this a home, you thought. 

Sasha opens the bedroom door for both of you to enter, “Please wait for a moment for me to get your sleepwear,” As she opens the drawer in the corner of the room, you notice that the bedroom only had decorations and furniture designed for women’s tastes. 

“Where does Mr. Ackerman sleep?” You ask.

“Mr. Ackerman mostly stays at the office, but his bedroom is right down the hall,” Sasha replies. 

You’re slightly taken aback at her answer, “He doesn’t come home at all? Even with all this fancy furniture and service?”

Sasha returns a small shrug before handing you a clean set of clothes, “He says his job keeps him busy, with the war over there’s a lot of loose ends that Scotland Yard needs to tie up. We see him maybe two or three times a week, so having you in the house is a nice change!”

Mixed feelings fill your sleepy head. You’re relieved knowing that you would have more personal time to understand the family history and work at a personal pace, but also disappointed that you won’t be able to interact and understand the man.

“I see, well I’m sure we will have a lot of time to bond. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight Sasha.” You say as a yawn escapes your mouth. 

Changing into the set of velvet sleepwear Sasha picked out, you plop onto the bed. For a moment, your head fills with questions trying to make sense of all the holes in Levi Ackerman’s backstory, but as you feel the soft pillow and bedsheets, within a minute you fall fast asleep after a tiring day of events.

* * *

**4 pm, Scotland Yard**

It’s been a week since you’ve arrived at the Ackerman estate. Levi has not seen you since the first day you two became a lawful couple. 

His eyes wander to the flashing ring Charles had delivered to him the other morning.  _ She sure likes to stand out, of all the rings she could’ve picked she just had to get the shiny one _ . 

In the privacy of his office, Levi takes the ring out of the black velvet box and hesitates. This wasn’t what he planned to do after the war, sure he thought about settling down one day with someone, but not this soon. Not to mention it was with a complete stranger. 

He quickly slips on the ring, and for a moment, his eyebrows raise at the sight of how snug it felt on his finger. It was like a perfect fit. But before he could blankly stare at the sparkling diamonds for a few more seconds, there was a knock on his door. 

“It’s Erwin. I got the files you needed.” comes the booming voice on the other side. 

Levi quickly recomposes his features and shoves the ring back into its case. “Come in.” 

Commander Smith walks into the office and puts the yellow folder on the desk gently. He notices the black box. “Ah, I should congratulate you. How is she adjusting to the new place?”

Levi leans forward to take the folder, “How should I know?” he coldly said.

Erwin puts his hands on the desk, blue eyes staring into those boring gray ones, “Levi, be honest. When was the last time you saw her?”

Eyes flickering up to meet his Commander’s stare, Levi let out an irritable sigh, “About a week ago.”

Sighing even louder, Erwin moved to cross his arms, “She is your new wife, Levi. Just go home and get to know her a bit. We have enough manpower here so can you please at least leave the office and sleep in a proper bed for once?” He is not one to nag on Levi’s personal issues, but Erwin has had enough of Levi pushing himself for no reason.

“Tch, if only those rookies would stop making idiotic mistakes I would’ve left this stuffy office a long time ago,” Levi grumbled. 

Erwin leaves the table and stands straight, “Just leave those to your squad, a chief inspector does not need to bother himself with these trivial errors.” A slight pause, “Besides, I’m sure she feels alone in that big house. Who knows? Maybe she’s been eagerly waiting to spend time with you.” 

Levi pays no mind to the Commander’s comments; he switches the conversation, “Are there any leads on the Wilfred case?” 

“No. Our informant has been kicked out of Wilfred’s wife’s social circle for acting ‘too smart’. She’s now back at her desk as we speak. We would have to find another way to infiltrate them.” He answers solemnly.

Levi rubs his temples, “Tch. We were so close. Do you have any idea how many parents and friends of the victims had called the station these past few weeks? Oluo was complaining about how the missing person reports were taking a whole file cabinet.”

Pacing around the office, Erwin appears to be in deep thought before his bright eyes lit up, “Your wife!”

“What about her?” Comes the confused reply.

Erwin continues, “She’s been socializing with those women on occasions her entire life, maybe she would be the gateway to our answers. Ask her tonight, there’s a dinner party this weekend held by Jim Boston. I’m sure she would like to go.” 

The black-haired man thinks over the possibility, and sighs, “That means I also have to go to that party.”

“It’s about time you announce your title as well. You do understand the implications?” Erwin responds.

Bringing up the fact that he needs to produce an heir within this year makes his skin crawl, there are a million other things he would rather do than have a bawling child. But for the time being, he needs to understand what kind of woman you are.

* * *

**10 pm, Ackerman Estate**

Levi half-expected that no one would greet him at the big front doors, but not  _ this. _

Not only was the foyer dimly lit, but the entire house felt ice cold. He chucks the car keys in a small tray and walks further down the hallway and up the stairs. 

“Charles?” He calls out to the quiet air. 

Not hearing any response, Levi walks further when he hears a faint upbeat tune at the end of the hallway. Nearing the doors, he hears jumbled sounds of loud cheering and some singing. 

He pushes the door of the drawing-room open. 

Gawking at the scene before him, Levi registers the moving image of Charles sitting in an armchair, Connie, and Sasha failing at doing a proper waltz as they trip over one another, and you laughing at the act while playing the piano with Jean. 

Everyone was so...happy, Levi thought. But then Sasha was the first to notice the new addition to the cheerful room and immediately straightened herself and yelled, “Captain!”

In an instant, Connie and Jean stood up abruptly and saluted the way Sasha did. 

Guilty silence filled the air as everyone stopped their antics. Your fingers slid off the piano keys as you quickly turned to face the ‘Captain’.

There he stood, your husband who you haven’t seen in seven days. You don’t know how to react, but did one sensible thing as you hesitantly and quietly said, “Welcome home.”

Snapping out of his initial shock, Levi cleared his throat, “Shouldn’t you all be in your quarters? What’s all this commotion about?” He said with a bitter tone. 

Charles stood up and bowed slightly, “We’re sorry, sir. We will clean up and return to our stations.”

In a flash, everyone replaced the furniture back to their places and scattered out of the room with their heads down, leaving you alone with the stoic man. 

Levi walks towards you with no expression, you wonder if you somehow angered the man but you didn’t feel sorry for it. “We were just having some downtime, not committing a crime.” You boldly said.

“Being childish and fooling around is what you did; they need to get up early in the morning to work.” He replies with no indication of understanding.

You stand up from the piano bench, “Oh please, work for what? Endlessly cleaning rooms that no one ever occupies?” 

Levi rests an arm on one of the chairs, giving you a displeased look, “If you spoil them too much they won’t listen to your orders.”

Walking closer to where he stood, you put your hands on your hips, “A little reward won’t hurt them, in fact, it motivates them,” you say strongly. 

He rolls his eyes, “Tch. Whatever.” 

The cracklings of the fireplace fill your ears as you two stare at each other. You attempt to break the ice.

You began, “Have y-”

“Do y-” He says at the same time. “Pardon, you go first.”

You nod, “I was just going to ask have you had dinner yet?”

The question was unexpected for him, Levi replies with, “Yes, I had some bread at the office.”

“Just bread? I can fix up something for you right now if you want.” You offered.

He shakes his head, “It’s fine. It’s late anyway.”

You fold your arms around your body, hating the awkwardness of it all. “What were you going to ask me?” You softly said.

He shifts the weight to his other leg; he seems shy all of sudden. “I- uh, do you have p-plans this weekend?”

You lift your gaze at him and for a moment you thought he looked handsome with the shadows of the fire dancing reflected on his face. “No, I don’t.” 

He releases a breath, “Good, we’re going to a dinner party this Saturday night hosted by Jim Boston, and you should be prepared for some questions. This will be the first event I appear as Head of House...and with a spouse.” He finishes with a tint of reluctance saying that word.

At the mention of that host, you hold your arms tighter. Levi mistook it for excitement. “From your file, I learned that you’re quite fond of dancing. But I will let you know now that I don’t do that kind of stuff.” He said with a straight face. 

Levi sees your face droop a little, it was an inevitable disappointment he expected. 

“That’s alright, I don’t think I would like to dance in front of him anyway.” You say with a defeated tone.

Levi raises an eyebrow at your comment, “Why? Are you acquainted with the host?”

“He’s one of the men who tricked my father. Along with the others he keeps at his side,” You sigh, “their wives are just as insufferable.”

For some reason, Levi feels relieved that he won’t be the only one having to endure the awful dinner party that’s to come. Yet also some sympathy for the burden you held onto because of the mistakes your parent committed. 

“Very well, I’ll keep that in mind. I should also inform you that I’m not very adequate in socializing.” Levi added.

“No kidding,” you immediately sputter. Eyes widening at what you just expressed, you bring your hands up to defend, “I-I mean just from the initial interaction we had. I didn’t mean to-"

Levi waves you off, “I don’t care for that opinion, it’s the truth anyway.”

You exhale at his confession, and a sudden idea comes to mind. “I’ve been to a fair amount of these events, I could help you prepare for the standard conversations in the next few days until the party.” 

“So, will you try to come home this week?” You asked for further.

Blinking a few times, Levi seems to be at loss for words when you mentioned ‘home’. A home that you both now share. Moreover, he feels shameful for neglecting you all these days. “I’ll try to.” He finally says.

You nod, “Okay. I can even visit your office if you prefer that? During lunch hours or something. Wives can visit, right?” 

Levi considers the proposal and remembers that he’s seen many wives and girlfriends visit the workers at lunch. Even Eld’s fiance visits around three times a week. He pinches the bridge of his nose and says, “If anyone asks, just say you have an appointment with me. Don’t say you are Mrs. Ackerman.”

Brows raising at his request, you don’t object if it means you get to leave the house. “Got it.” You say brightly. 

Taking a step forward, you are within arms reach of your obvious socially-awkward husband. “I think we should also practice physical contact to look the part. So for starters, may I kiss you, Mr. Ackerman?” 

You notice the way his eyes snap upwards at your suggestion and coughs in embarrassment. Yet, he nods once.  _ He really is shy about these things.  _

“I won’t mull you, don’t worry,” you said reassuringly. Stepping closer now, you lightly place one hand on his shoulder, and the other gently holding his face. Leaning in, you smell the faint scent of tea and a certain fragrance you assume was from a cleaning bottle. 

Noticing the harsh way he shuts his eyes as your faces got closer makes you worry that you went too fast. So instead, you move sideways and place a soft kiss on his cheek. Pulling away, you see that Levi had relaxed his facial muscles as he flutters his eyes open. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.” You said as you gave him a small smile. 

The usual stoic mask was dropped as he felt the lingering peck, “Y-yeah, goodnight.” He says as you already walked out of the room. 

For the first time in his thirty years of living, Levi’s mind only focused on the gentleness he received from a woman he had met twice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> levi: i ate bred  
> reader: can i give a smooch


	2. Chocolate fondue

**Day 8**

**12 pm Scotland Yard**

The Scotland Yard building’s tall stature stands firmly before you. Police in uniform come walking in and out as you nervously tighten your hold on the bag you’re carrying. Charles gives you a firm nod as you thank him for driving and promises to be back in one hour. 

Breathing in the cold January air, “It’s no big deal, just walk in and say you’re there to see the Chief Inspector. That’s all there is to it,” you reassured yourself.

A policeman held the door open for you as you walked in, now fully exposed to the busy office. Telephones rang simultaneously as employees walked in quick speed with papers stacked in their hands. No one seems to notice a woman in a fur coat walking into the lobby. 

Heels clicking on the floor, you walk to the receptionist table. “Excuse me?” you said graciously. 

Blonde hair that reached below the ears, a young man behind the desk perks his head up from the folder he was reading. “Yes? How may I help you, ma’am?” 

Putting on a polite smile, “I’m here to see Chief Inspector Ackerman,” you informed him.

He furrows his brows, not quite believing a young woman would want to see a man with the reputation of ‘Coldest Dick in the Office’.

Of course, that was only joked about within the lower sectors.

“What business do you have with the Chief Inspector?” He asks.

Without missing a beat, you quickly respond, “It’s regarding a matter Mr. Ackerman personally agreed to for consultation purposes.” 

“May I please know your name? I need to check the visitor’s log,” comes the reply. 

You hesitated, “Miss Hazelton.” Basing on the conversation the night prior, you deduced he didn’t want others to know your true identity yet, for whatever reason. 

The young man flips through the log for a few seconds, then looks up, “I’m sorry miss, but I don’t see your name on this list. Perhaps you’ve mistaken the date?” 

_Don’t tell me that pissy face forgot our agreement already._

Clearing your throat, you continue, “Are you sure? Could you check again?” 

“I’m absolutely certain your name isn’t on the list, miss.” He presses as he scans the books again. 

You sigh, “Could you please call him instead to inform him I’m here then? I am sure of our appointment.”

The receptionist scratches the back of his head, “I-uh, I’m not allowed to call the Chief Inspector unless for emergency purposes. His orders.” 

Your gloved hands form into fists, not believing the nerve of your unreliable husband. “Very well. I will come back another time. Tha-”

“Miss Hazelton?” 

Turning your head to the source of the deep, authoritative voice, you see an older blonde-haired man with blue eyes and unbelievably thick eyebrows standing behind.

“Yes? That’s me.” You say in a surprised tone. “And you are…?”

The man straightens his shoulders and offers his hand out, “Erwin Smith.”

You shake his hand, noticing how firm and strong he felt. Unlike someone you know. 

He nods at the young man at the desk, “Armin, she’s cleared. Don’t worry about the logs.” Then, he motions for you to follow him and walk away from the lobby. 

“Y-yes, C-Commander!” Armin said as he nervously stood up and saluted him. 

Not quite understanding the treatment you’re receiving, you proceed to ask as you walk alongside in the corridors, “Commander Smith, how do you know who I am?” 

The man simply glanced at your confused face and grinned, “Levi showed me your photo before. Anyone who’s seen it won’t mistake your beauty in person. So when I saw you walking in the office I assumed you’re here to see him, Ms. Hazelton. Or should I say, _Mrs. Acker-,”_

“Shhh! Don’t say that out loud.” You said as you put a finger up to block his mouth. Face slightly irritated, you say, “And yes, I am here to see him, but looks like he forgot.” Bystanders took second glances as they noticed the Commander being told to shut it for the first time, but you didn't notice the attention. 

The Commander recovers from his initial surprise of such a sudden touch to his face, and gently lowered your hand, “He has gotten quite busy lately and he tends to forget personal issues. Please don’t take it to heart, he has no ill intentions.” It’s almost like the Commander knew what you were thinking and shot down any doubts you had regarding the black-haired man, yet you don’t feel fully convinced. 

As you follow him up a set of stairs, he looks back at you, “May I suggest we have some tea in my office? He is currently in a meeting.” Looking around, you register the fact that everyone in the office is indeed engrossed in work, so you take up his offer. Not like you have anything else better to do. 

* * *

Sitting across from the Commander in his pristine office, you barely sip on the black tea he made. No amount of sugar or milk would save this brew, you thought. Nevertheless, you politely smile for the hospitality he’s displayed. You also notice how quiet it got once he shut the door; all the scattering outside reduced to faint white noise. Taking this opportunity, you strike up an inquisition. 

You began, “Commander, sorry to bother you with all this, I know you must be very busy. But...may I ask you some questions?”

He blows on his tea and nods his head, “Go ahead.”

Setting down the cup, you ask, “What is Mr. Ackerman like? You seem to be quite acquainted with him and know his personality.” 

He sits back on his chair, “Hm, I suppose he is hardworking, a respected leader, and stubborn when it comes to opening up about his personal life. I’ve known him for seven years, and he still won’t tell me simple things.”

The Commander takes another sip, “Partly because he’s a relatively young man with potential and was thrown in tough jobs. The war definitely changed him. Even now, a lot of people here have to mentally work through those times.” 

You fold your hands in your lap, “I see, were you also in the war?” 

He nods, “and he was the Captain of the 104th division, one of the undeniably strongest but also harshest groups. It takes a lot for a man with that responsibility, especially when he was sworn in that position last minute due to the death of his predecessor on the battlefield.” 

You’re at loss for words. Suddenly, you recall how Sasha and the others referred to him as ‘Captain’. Is it that they were also in the war? It makes you uncomfortable thinking that young people like them have already seen the worst of humanity. 

Fortunately, you have no brothers and your father was too old to be enlisted in the military. But upon hearing the detrimental state Levi underwent, you feel the new light the Commander has shed upon him. It makes you respect the stoic man and earned an idea for why he acts that way. Levi didn’t wake up one day and chose to be a sulky man, rather it was dire circumstances that incrementally transformed him into the person you now know. It was perhaps a method to cope with the harsh reality. 

“I think I understand him a bit more now. Thank you, Commander.” You said earnestly. 

“Please, you can call me Erwin. Besides, I trust that you will be of big help to him.” He said as he sympathized with your downward cast.

You tilt your head, “Me? How so?”

Erwin rests his arms on the desk, “Well, for starters, Levi lacks in the communication area, and given his new title he would need some assistance for those parties and gatherings.”

“Ah, that’s actually why I’m here today. We agreed that I would help him interact with other nobles, call it ‘How to talk snobbish’ if you’d like,” you said lightheartedly.

Erwin’s eyebrows shot up so high that you thought it would merge with his hairline; this was a perfect segway for him. “I’m glad to hear that. Are you preparing him for an upcoming event?” He asked innocently. You tell him the upcoming party hosted by Jim Boston this weekend, to which he responds with, “Hmm, I heard he is good buddies with the Wilfred’s. Do you know them?”

_Take the bait_.

Ponding for a moment, you finally say, “I’m not close with them, but I have seen his wife on occasions before. She has a wives club of some sort, I believe.”

The Commander continues his act. His tone is full of eagerness. “A wives club? Can any wife join? What do they do in this club?” 

“I, uh, I’m not sure, and I heard she is very picky with who gets to join.” You answered with a tint of suspicion. “Why do you ask?” With a quick glance, you notice that Erwin doesn’t wear a ring, so why should a grown bachelor be so curious about a wives club?

Erwin shrugs, “Mere curiosity, ex-military men such as me are unfamiliar with these...groups.” 

“I see, well I can let you know if I ever run into her and ask those questions for you.” You offered. Maybe he is just a simple man who is in awe of the current society due to the loss of time from the war.

He wears a relieved smile, “Thank you, I will rely on you to educate me with these social settings. Maybe I will learn enough to get a wife of my own!” He ends with a loud laugh. Unbeknownst to you, Erwin is internally jumping with glee. It was too easy to get you to help. Sure, it might seem unfair to use you for information like this, but Erwin is a man with priorities. His top one being using any necessary means to achieve what he wants. 

Suddenly, the door clicks, and in comes the man you’ve been impatiently waiting for. “Oi, what are you laughing at, eyebrows? We got so much work to d-... Oh shit.” He pauses at the sight before him, not expecting a woman to be chatting with Erwin and making him laugh, let alone recognize the female to be you. 

Levi looks at you sitting across his amused Commander, “What are you doing here?” He asked almost accusingly.

Standing up from the chair, you fully face him. “Good to see you too. The Commander was kind enough to share a cup of tea with me while I waited for our ‘appointment’ that wasn’t even recorded at the front desk.” You replied bitterly. 

Your husband merely pinched the bridge of his nose, “Sorry, I forgot to tell the bookworm downstairs.”

“His name is Armin.” You said with a disapproving look. “Is your meeting over?”

He pushes the door wider, “Yeah, we’ll go to my office,” said Levi while giving a narrowed eye to Erwin, signifying a ‘we’re having a talk later’.

Grabbing your belongings, you smile at the leader who gave you more vital information in the past week than the books you’ve read at the estate. “Thank you for the tea, Erwin. I’ll come by again!” You cheerfully said.

Levi shuts the door quickly and shifts his glance to you, “Erwin? You met him for ten minutes and you’re already on a first-name basis?” 

“It felt appropriate. He insisted as well, Mr. Ackerman.” You smugly responded. It was a small jab at Levi for making you wait longer than you should, and you are thoroughly enjoying the look at his irritated expression. 

* * *

Upon entering Levi’s office, you notice the space is smaller than Erwin’s but it was kept so clean you swear you saw the papers on his desk sparkle. There sits a generic wooden desk and the stiffest looking chairs accompanying it, while a singular armchair with leg rest is positioned in the corner of the room. File cabinets were organized by alphabetical order; pens on his desk were laid out perfectly parallel with each other; one wrong move and the entire office would be off-balanced. 

Levi swiftly goes to the glass window that oversees the rest of the working space outside and rolls down the shutters, then he turns to you. “Make this quick, I’ve got other work to do today.” 

You frown at his words; is this how husbands greet their wives who visit them? “I brought you lunch,” you said as you uncovered the contents within your bag. “Don’t worry, I will clean up any mess I make here.” His creased brows relax a little at your comment of cleaning. 

Levi seems surprised, “How’d you know I didn’t eat yet?” He walks and sits in his chair as you untie the lunch box wrapper, revealing a sandwich and some fruits in a container. 

You simply rolled your eyes at him, “You don’t seem like someone who cares for food, even if your body requires balanced meals and not just bread.” Continuing, you say, “Now since you’re pretty occupied, I will have to switch up the pace of our etiquette lesson today. Would that be a problem, Mr. Ackerman?” 

“Is that what we’re calling it? Etiquette lessons?” Levi said with a bored tone. He reaches for the sandwich and takes a huge bite; it would travel into his mouth if only you didn’t grab his arm midair. 

“No-no. A well educated noble would never eat without making sure his guests or partner is already seated and their food has also arrived.” You say as you let go of his arm and eventually sit down across him. He gives you an annoyed look, “You brought only one set of lunch, brat.” 

Shaking your head at him, you said, “Strike number two Mr. Ackerman, you must never call others degrading names, only refer to them by their title unless you are very close with them. Try again.”

Levi sighs and puts down the sandwich, “Ms. Hazelt-, no, Mrs. Ac-ackerman, care to share this sandwich so we may begin our lunchtime?” He doesn’t dare to see your reaction when he asked that. It felt so awkward and strange to say your official title, one more evidence that he really is married. 

“Certainly, Mr. Ackerman. Thank you for the offer. However, I have a lunch reservation with another party soon, so you may begin as you wish.” You replied with a grin. Levi seems to be already done with this lesson, but he must admit that the scent of the food is making him hungry. 

As he eats, you continue the lesson. “So, Mr. Ackerman, I was informed that you recently took on the title of Head of House. Where were you and your family before that?” 

“None of your fucking business,” answers the impassive man immediately. 

He gives you a glare for invading his privacy, but you don’t falter as you calmly state, “Strike three, never curse in a social gathering. Moreover, when faced with a difficult question, you respond in a generic way yet specific enough that they won’t press you further. Such as, ‘We had familial matters to take care of, it was not deemed urgent to maintain the status quo. I thank you for the concern, how is your family doing recently?’ 

Pausing to make sure he heard your point, you lecture on, “When in doubt, just say ‘it’s a complicated matter’ then ask them a general question instead. Now you try asking me something.” 

Levi finishes his chewing before speaking. _At least he got that basic decency down_. “Uh, how’d you find the recent weather?”

You don’t miss a second, “It’s all the same, gloomy and rainy. Perfect weather for me to cuddle up and read, though.” 

“Hm.”

Looking at his almost finished sandwich, you say, “This is the part where you continue the conversation, not just blankly stare at your food.” The practice conversation goes on for another twenty minutes, educating Levi on what to say and when to stop talking. You realize it must have been difficult for your mother to teach you all this from a young age, but now is not the time to be thinking of her. 

“Well done, I think you got the basic conversations down. That wasn’t so difficult, was it?” You say as Levi rubs his temples for the tenth time. “So many damn rules. There’s no direct answer or question in these. What’s the point?” He complained. 

You simply shrug, “That’s just the beginning, once you socialize with them on more than one occasion, people will start forming friend circles and the conversation topics will get more personal and less vague. But you’re a fast learner, you won’t have a problem when that arrives.” You said reassuringly. 

Levi rests his head on the back of his seat, sighing at all the new information he needs to remember. “I didn’t ask for all this, I’m not fit for these snobby people.” 

Chuckling at his admission, you rest your hands on the table, “I’m actually glad you despise it as much as I do. Ah, I suppose you deserve a reward for the hard work today.” Reaching into your purse, you fish out a small piece of candy and hand it to Levi. 

“I’m not a child.” He said unamused.

“And I’m not a brat, yet you keep calling me one. Just save it for later when you feel hungry or need a mood booster. Chocolate helps those things.” You said as you try to force it into Levi’s hand. He pushes it back and that’s when you notice an obvious fact. 

Narrowing your eyes on his left hand, “Where’s your ring?” you said while still holding the candy a few centimeters above the desk. 

He blinks a few times then looks at his hand, “I left it at home.” He admitted. For some reason, the frown on your face makes him feel uneasy, “It’s just a ring, not a big deal to be upset about it,” he adds.

Apparently, that statement upset you even more as Levi watches you rise from your chair and drop the candy on the table with a thud. He listens you say, “I see. Well, I should get going now. I’ll see you at home,” Smoothing down your dress, you further commented, “or not.”

The change in tone startles Levi, “I said I would try coming home, didn’t I?” He said as he too stood up and walked to the office door by you.

Sighing, you finish packing up the lunch containers and take a step towards him. “You did, so be home by 7 alright? Don’t forget this ‘appointment’ too.”

Levi merely nods and opens the door then sees his subordinates suddenly stumble upon each other. “Care to explain why you three aren’t at your desks?” he said in a strict manner as he individually eyes at them. This leadership tone is quite a fitting side to your husband, you thought. 

“Sir, they were eavesdropping.” A man behind a desk honestly said.

A short woman with ginger hair gasps, “Eld! N-no we weren’t, we were just…”

“Passing by to give you our reports! But it seemed you were already occupied,” said another man with slightly tanned skin and short brown hair. 

“Tch, unlike them, I just happened to be on my way to make some tea,” said the third man who marginally reminds you of an older and blonde version of your husband but nowhere near the same level of attractiveness. 

Scanning at the small party that seemed to be embarrassed for being called out, you raise an amused brow. “Sorry to have taken up your Chief's time, I’ll be going now.” You said quickly. 

The man named Eld walked up, “I apologize for their behavior, Ms.-...”

“Ack-,” you cough, “Ms. Hazelton, and no worries,” you said as you tried to cover the slip-up. Glancing at Levi, his face remains impassive. You give the team a polite nod and face him, “I think I know my way to the exit, no need to walk me out, Mr. Ackerman.”

Levi cleared his throat and responds, “Have a good day, Ms. Hazelton.” _Good, he remembers the proper farewell phrase rather than his classic grunt._

As soon as your frame is out of the hallway and down the stairs, Levi’s group of curious cats swarmed around their superior, save for one man who pretended to be disinterested. 

“Who was she? Why was she in your office for thirty minutes?” Petra eagerly asked. 

“And what did she carry in that big bag of hers? Didn’t Armin tell her we have a rule with the bag size we can bring in?” Gunther added suspiciously.

Eld rolls his eyes, “Leave the Chief alone, I’m sure she had important business.” 

Levi exhales loudly, “It’s a complicated matter. Where’s the report you said you had to give me?” 

The group freezes their questioning, apparently realizing they spoke more than they should. Within a second, they apologize for needing more time to finalize the papers and speedily walk back to their respective spots. 

Turning around to enter his office once more, Levi smirked at the effectiveness of the way he phrased his comeback. He was glad for the lesson he received today.

* * *

**6:59 pm, Ackerman Estate**

Levi enters the house once again; this time with the foyer brightly lit and the sounds of tableware clinking in the distance. Taking off his gray coat and hanging his hat on the wooden stool, he makes his way to the dining room.

Upon entering the place, he feels the warmth of the crackling fireplace, smells the faint scent of roasted meat and sees your back as you fixed the positioning of the silverware. Hearing someone approach you, you turn around and see Levi by the doorframe.

“Welcome home,” you quickly said, “dinner is almost ready, you can go freshen up for the time being.”

You resume the tableware adjustments, not bothering to see whether Levi left the room or not. Frankly, you didn’t expect him to arrive on time, but you’re thankful that he did. After ten minutes, Levi returns with only his white buttoned-down shirt and black suit pants, along with a new addition to his accessories.

“Just in time, thank you, Jean and Charles,” you said as the two finished setting the food on the table.

Motioning Levi to come to your right side, you say, “For tonight, I will sit beside you as we normally would at a dinner party, Charles will stand by as a standard waiter.”

“Did she rope you into this lesson too, Charles?” Levi said as he pulls the chair back and sits down.

The butler grins, “No, sir. I volunteered to help. Would you like some wine, Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman?”

“Yeah, whatever.” He answered normally while his attention moved to the plate of roasted chicken in front of him.

You clear your throat, “Mr. Ackerman, remember to say ‘Yes, please’. The politeness also extends to the workers at a social gathering.”

He moves his gaze to you, “Fine.”

Sitting up straighter, you say, “Now, follow my movements.” Levi learns from you the proper way to fold the table napkin, which forks and spoons to use, and what type of conversations to talk about as the plates go from appetizer to dessert. He finishes his glass of wine with a gulp, then sees you’ve been drinking a fair amount as well, “How well can you drink?” Levi suddenly asks.

Leaning your chin on your hand, you tell him, “On these dinner parties I typically go for two glasses of wine, but otherwise, I can handle a half bottle before I get tipsy, and you?”

“I don’t get drunk. Maybe with whiskey, I can. Never really drank that much to find out.” He admits. During the dinner practice, you’ve noticed he keeps reaching for his wine glass, yet his demeanor doesn’t show an ounce of intoxication.

Nodding at his comment, you bring up another point, “When guests get tipsy or drunk, they tend to be touchy with their spouses or sometimes with the person next to them even. I suppose we need to prepare you for that as well, Mr. Ackerman.”

Suddenly, Levi’s face tints with a slight shade of pink. He loosens the napkin on his collar and observes his wine glass like it’s the most fascinating object in the world. “What do we do?” He mumbled.

His reaction makes you giggle inside; he really doesn’t know. “Normally, it’s just holding each other’s hand for a moment if you mention the other during a conversation. A quick hold on the arm, feeding each other dessert, or readjusting their bowties and such.” Facing him, you add, “Shall we try that out?”

Still not looking at you, he exhales, “I suppose so.” Typically, Levi would reject any notion of physical touching, yet the way you speak of these things so professionally makes him second guess his phobia. It’s not like you wanted to touch him romantically or seductively, he thought.

Nodding at his answer, you gently place your right hand on his left, “Charles? Could you please pour us some more wine and bring out the dessert?”

During the dinner lesson, you noticed that Levi had worn the ring and it astonished you to see how perfectly it looked on his finger. Glancing at your own, you secretly wondered how it would feel if he really did propose to you with this diamond as a lovable partner. Perhaps in another lifetime, you considered.

As Charles and Jean came out with the red wine and chocolate fudge, you progressed and held onto Levi’s arm. His flinch doesn’t go unnoticed. “These look so delicious! I’ve got such a sweet tooth, don’t I, darling?” Levi’s jaws tightened at such an act for he has never had a woman hold onto him like this, let alone call him with a pet name. He coughs uncomfortably, knowing Jean already saw everything and will definitely pass it on to the other two, “Yes... dear.” He manages to mutter.

Sensing his discomfort, you loosen your arm around him and grab the dessert spoon. “I apologize if I’m making you uncomfortable, we can stop here if you’d like.” You offered.

He takes another gulp of his wine, then faces you, “No, I need to get used to it if I need to preserve my image. Please continue.” _I need to get used to this so I don’t blush like a stupid schoolboy who just discovered girls exist._

Giving him a smile, you scoop a bit of the fondue and brought it close to his mouth. “Ahh-,“ you cooed.

If Erwin or his squad is to ever see him like this, all his integrity and respect would be gone. But this isn’t the office, he can do whatever in his home even if it's the most embarrassing thing he's done. Levi braces himself and opens his mouth to welcome the soft and sweet chocolate. Then, he scoops a spoonful and motions for you to do the same. This time, you latch both arms onto his left and eats out of his spoon, as you did so, your eyes looked up to meet his gray-blue ones.

This is the most intimate act Levi has ever experienced. The way your eyelashes bashed at him as you licked off the chocolate off your mouth, and the manner in which you pushed your chest onto his left arm makes him feel a new sense of heat. The increasing tingle of warmth in his cheeks and neck snaps him out of the trance and wiggles his arm free from your grasp.

He grabs the glass of water and downs it in one go. He isn’t thinking straight, but he knows for a fact that he doesn’t get drunk from wine. So, what is causing his whole body to heat up so fast? Could it be…no, it’s too soon to have feelings for a woman he doesn’t know completely. _Why is she so composed, anyway? Why isn’t she bothered by the closeness with a man she barely understands?_

“Are you alright?” you asked after feeling him jerk his arm away from you.

This is unfair, he’s not getting any reaction from you. “Y-yeah, the room is just warm.” Levi stuttered as he yanked the napkin from his neck. You suppress the need to giggle at this grown man’s reaction, not believing how easy it is to make your husband fluster. Quickly thinking of a distraction, your tone lights up, “Hey, I have a weird talent I can show you.”

Levi narrows his eyes at you, “Which is?”

“I can make myself blush on command. Quite useful under certain circumstances.” You said proudly. He raises an eyebrow at you, but you press on, “Say anything you’d like and I’ll prove it.” 

Levi wracks his brain, and eventually says, “I saw a homeless man take a shit inside a telephone booth the other day, and his other homeless friend applauded him from the outside.”

Immediately, you bring up your hand to cover your fake smile, playfully slapped Levi’s arm, and showed your blushed look. “Oh, stop it, Mr. Ackerman. You’re too flattering.”

Levi is amused, he tries another sentence, “In an alleyway, I once witnessed a boy confess his feelings, but the girl said she was actually in love with his father.”

Once more, you manage to maintain the blush on your cheeks as you grab onto Levi’s arm, “How can a lady like me hear such adventurous stories from a great man like yourself. You’re too kind.”

Levi admits you’re talented when he observes the shift in your gesture and voice. Now, he challenges himself to make you blush for real. He’s a competitive man, and he despises being the only one that’s affected by all this flirtatious touching. Even if this is all pretentious. 

Still acting the giggles, you don’t notice Levi leaning in. When you open your eyes, his face is already so close to yours that you feel his breathing. With a swift move, he tilts your chin and plants his lips on the edge of your mouth. You froze at his actions, especially when you felt him lick something off. Levi smirks at your reaction then moves his face to your ear, “You had chocolate on your face, _Mrs. Ackerman_ ,” he whispers.

How can this man go from a stumbling schoolboy to a mature man in such a short amount of time? He almost made you flustered from pulling such a smooth move. His body is so close to yours as you take in the view of his exposed neck. Beneath the tea scent that you caught last night, there was another smell to him. One that only belongs to Levi’s body, a scent that gravitates you to do unspeakable things right then and there if you were to inhale deeply. Yet you hold it in; if he wants to play this flirtatious game then you shall too. No way you’re letting this amateur win.

Slowly, you trace your finger up across his arm and hold onto the ends of his undercut. You feel him shiver and see goosebumps form on his pale skin, but he doesn’t falter his position.

“Don’t forget we’re still at dinner. If you wanted to kiss me you could do so in the privacy of our bedrooms, _Levi_.” You enticed him.

This was the first time you referred to him as ‘Levi’, and he knows it too. Behind that cool mask, Levi is unsure of how to respond to that. The way you gingerly touched him, called his name through a sweet mouth; it was too much. He reacts in the way he knows best when confronted with emotions, withdrawal.

Instead of saying more to counterattack, he removes his hold on you and backs away. “You’re a good actress, I’ll give you that.” Levi’s face is back to the normal skin tone, any trace of shyness is gone. He’s just confusing you by the minute. What is the real Levi, anyway?

He scoots back his chair, “I think we’ve had enough of the lesson. Charles? You may clean this up now.”

The butler comes walking in with a large tray to stack the rest of the used plates and glasses. “I’ll keep my plate, thank you.” You said to Charles after wiping off the weird interaction of your stoic husband almost kissing you.

Levi shakes his head, “Tch. You’ll get fat if you eat too much,”

You scoff at his comment, “No need to criticize my eating habits when you can’t even eat two proper meals a day without someone reminding you.”

Taking a sip from your water, you continue, “Well, I’m sure you’ve got work to do. I’ll give you peace. See you at the office tomorrow, goodnight.” With that, you take your fudge along with you to the drawing-room where your fantasy-drama novel awaits. 

“What is up with that woman?” Levi says through his teeth. He’s been trying to analyze your moves and yet he still can’t figure out why you’re so collected with these things. One second, he feels you’re purposely teasing him, the next you leave him as if nothing had happened.

Taking a breath, Levi recomposes himself and switches his mindset. He gives a final look at the butler as he walks to the door, “By the way, the lunch today tasted good, thanks.”

Charles pauses and turns to the head of house, “Ah, you should be thanking the Lady, sir. She was the one who made it.”

Levi stands by the doorframe, suddenly aware of the fact _his_ wife had made lunch and brought it to the office _for him_. He feels the warm feeling in his body again, except this time he welcomes it.

Oh, what is he going to do with you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our cleaning boi really can't handle fluff, eh? 
> 
> Editing this chapter just makes me hungry and crave chocolate lol.   
> Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you all have a non-chaotic Christmas!


	3. Rain on a Friday night

**Day 9**

It’s a gloomy Friday. You woke up this morning still on the couch with the novel on the table, except there was a blanket snuggled up to your neck. Strange, you don’t remember ever bringing down any covers. The thought of your stoic husband caring enough to prevent you from getting a cold crossed your mind like a running horse. It was unlikely for him to display that type of affection. You assumed that it was either Sasha or Charles that came in and did it.

Now stepping into the big white building of Scotland Yard once more, you grin at the sight of Armin at his table. “Hello, Armin, how is your day so far?” you said to the young man.

His bright eyes shone as he hears you call his name, “Ms. Hazelton! It’s been a slow morning, I suppose. Are you here to see the Chief Inspector again?”

“Yes, did he remember to tell you this time?” You asked as you rested your gloved fingers on the wooden table.

Armin glances at his logs, and nods. “You’re cleared, have a nice day!”

Politely smiling, you wish him a good lunch break and walked away to the corridors.

Holding your head high, you pass by the hallway walked through yesterday, yet jumbled arguments can be heard behind the closed doors of the Commander’s office. Just as you were about to go around the corner, the door is yanked open. The sudden movement causes you to flinch and step back, now, you face a man with loose blonde hair and a pair of gray eyes accentuated with round glasses. His tall stature blocks the other two men behind him.

“Zeke?” you said with surprise.

The man in question blinks a couple of times, then sudden recognition of the woman standing in front snaps him back. He calls your name in equal surprise as well, then steps forward to hold your hands.

“I can’t believe it’s you! How long has it been, three, no, four years?” Zeke said with sparkling eyes.

You smile, “Almost four years since I last saw you! How have you been? And where have-“

A cough interrupts the conversation. Moving your head sideways to see the source, you’re faced with a stare from Levi with his hand still on the doorknob and an unfazed look from Erwin sitting at his desk.

“Oh! Good afternoon Commander,” you greeted, “and Chief.” You finished with a glance at your husband.

With Zeke's hand still holding onto yours, he turns around so he can face the other men with you. “I didn’t imagine you as a girl to do this type of work,” Zeke commented.

Looking at him, you say, “I don’t. I’m just here for visiting purposes.”

“You two seem to be friends. Explain.” Levi said with an annoyed face. He couldn’t explain it, but the sight of another man holding your hand and conversing in such friendliness make him irritated as if someone had spilled tea on the table and just left it there. 

Brows raising at Levi’s accusing tone, you explain anyway. “Zeke and I met at a hospital a few years back when I was doing medical training and he happened to be one of my patients. That’s all.”

Levi exhales as he furrows his brows, “I didn’t know you had medical experience.”

“You never asked.” You responded dryly.

Zeke pulls you to his right side closer, “I wouldn’t say that’s all. Remember we went on a date? And I said I would take you on another one?” He said as he gently takes hold of your chin.

You playfully scoff and move your face away, “I wouldn’t call that a date. Besides, you disappeared after a week you said that.”

He scratches the back of his head, “Ah-hah, yes. I have some explaining to do. Say, let me treat you to a meal sometime and we can catch up.” Zeke offered with a soft look.

Levi rolls his eyes and moves to grab your hand out of Zeke’s. “She’s busy.” He bites out.

“Come on now, she can decide that herself. Stop acting like you know what’s best for everyone, _Captain_.” Zeke said amusingly.

Levi’s hold on your wrist tightens, “Watch your mouth, Jaeger. Don’t say things that will get your tongue sliced off.” 

_Jaeger?_ _Zeke is a Jaeger?_

The Commander has heard enough, “Gentlemen, we are at the office. Please refrain yourselves from delinquent behavior.”

Looking back and forth between the three men and feeling the tense atmosphere, you attempt to calm it down. “Mr. Ackerman, I believe it’s time for our appointment. Shall we go to your office now?” You said while tugging Levi’s sleeves.

His glare stops momentarily as he flickers his eyes to you. “Fine.” Then back to Zeke, “You know where the exit is. Don’t mope around.”

The blonde man puts his hands up in surrender mode, “Alright, alright. But remember the deadline, or _you’ll_ be the one who needs to watch their tongue.”

Levi pulls your arm and motions you to leave the area with no intention of bidding a proper farewell. While his face was towards the opposite direction, Zeke managed to slip in a small piece of paper into your free hand. With a quick glance, you recognize that it was a name card. Mostly likely Zeke’s, but you shove it into your small coat pocket before Levi could confiscate it for whatever irrational reason.

Immediately after walking out of sight from the Commander’s office, Levi drops his hold on you abruptly. You also notice his pace becoming purposely quicker so that he would be a few feet in front of you instead of beside you. What a welcoming act by your husband.

As you near his office, Levi’s squad is seen peeking through their desks as they sense the rising irritation radiating off their Chief. But more specifically, they were eyeing you as they realize it was the same woman as the day before. This was odd, very odd.

Before Petra could ask anything, Levi already pushed you into his office and slammed his doors shut. Within a second, he lowered the blinds and faces you with a scowl.

“Don’t you dare meet him.” He demanded with a low voice.

Setting down your bag and taking off your coat, you sigh. “And why should I not?”

Levi inched closer, “Because I say so.” He pressed.

Rather than cowering at his intimidating tactic, you sit down at the stiff wooden chair with no sign of disturbance. “Rather unfair to me, don’t you think? I run into an old acquaintance and you demand me to not meet him with a childish reason. As Zeke said, I get to decide.”

Levi is near his threshold for tolerating disobedience. He cowers over you, “I said don’t you fucking dare go see him, or else-,”

Your body turns to confront him, “Or else what? Cut off my tongue as well and say it was for my own good? You know some might say this is abusive behavior and possessiveness.” Resting your head on a propped-up arm, you continue, “Unless you give me a proper and logical reason as to why I shouldn’t see him, I won’t pretend you didn’t just threaten to hurt me.”

The Chief stays still at your statement, suddenly too aware of the attitude he’s displaying. It was a side of him that Levi tried to suppress whenever things didn’t go his way. But for you, it was a behavior you knew too well. From the stories of wives and friends to the silent weeping of your mother when your father got drunk, it was a never-ending cycle of manipulation and false forgiveness in the name of love. Because of that, you knew how to play the dangerous game of power between man and woman. You took a risky path, not knowing what kind of man Levi is, but with certainty, there will be no fearful submission coming from you.

Levi rubs his forehead as he takes deep breaths to calm the nerves. He noticed the way you talk back with a courageousness no subordinate dared to carry. Having people follow his orders for most of his life, this was uncharted territory for him and frankly, he doesn’t know how to respond without using force. Yet, this is his wife. Someone he should never harm.

At last, Levi regains his composure and backs away from your frame. “Zeke’s not a man to be trusted,” He leans on the desk, “Besides, a married woman shouldn’t be seen with a man that isn’t her family.”

You cock your head to the left, “That’s quite rich coming from you, someone who won’t even wear his wedding band in public. I know you didn’t forget about it, so why do you try to hide it?” you said judgmentally.

Turning his head away, Levi refuses to admit that he’s simply not ready to accept the marriage. “It would get in the way of productivity.” He mumbled.

“Excuse me? Forgive me if I sound too direct, but why on earth would a ring infringe productivity?” You were exasperated.

He still doesn’t look at you, “Tch. Now isn’t the time to be announcing this. If my squad finds out they’ll leave all work behind and ask me stupid questions.”

You stand up abruptly, now standing in front of Levi so that you can see his expressions, “Then when _is_ a good time? It takes two seconds to congratulate someone and move on. Is it that surprising for you to get married?”

His fists slam the table, “Yes, it is! You don’t know what it’s like to be in my position. I have a reputation to uphold, a real job to do, unlike you who just sips tea arrogantly and only ever worried about what fork to use. You and your snobby lifestyle can just piss off.” Levi hissed.

The frustration is boiling within, “Well, it’s not my fault that you have no relationships. Why even marry in the first place then? If this job was so important why go trouble yourself with all this ‘snobby lifestyle’?”

“Because if I didn’t, Kenny would take all the assets and wreck whatever he comes across,” Levi confessed with a bitter tone. Saying his uncle’s name is enough to make him feel disgusted.

Thinking back to the conversation you had with Charles on the first day, you remembered who Kenny was. “Your uncle? What happened to him?” you asked.

Levi rubs his temples, “I don’t know.”

You close your eyes for a brief second and continued, “Then why pick me of all the women you could choose from?”

His sight focuses on the floor this time, “I-, I don’t know.”

“For a man who seems to be in control and authoritative, you really can’t handle personal issues.” You said lowly.

He shakes his head as the irritation rises again, “What fucking choice did I have? I’d rather sacrifice a mere certificate with my name on it than letting him use up all the money on whatever the fuck he does.”

“And I’d rather sacrifice my free time working to pay off debt than marry a man I don’t love. But we’re both stuck in this damned situation.” You sputtered out. It was a marriage you knew that wouldn’t be in your favor, but you tried your best to form some connection. If only the husband would be more understanding.

Levi stays silent; he realizes you didn’t get the choice either. From what he deduced, you didn’t even know who you were marrying until the day of, and he somehow felt self-conscious that he wasn’t a man you expected nor wanted.

Sensing that he won’t be saying anything further, you sat back down and sighed, “I’m not asking for us to have a perfect relationship nor do I expect it, but I’m trying to make this work between us. So, can you please sit down and have a normal conversation with me?”

He scoffs, “I’m not in the mood to do another one of your shitty lessons.”

“And I’m _never_ in the mood to teach a grown man how to speak with manners. Yet here we are. So, sit.” You commanded sharply. If he wants to have a grumpy attitude for the rest of his life, you shall reciprocate with equal disdain.

He huffs and eventually sits across you with an irritated look. “You happy now? Ms. I-drool-in-my-sleep.”

You’re taken aback, “What? I do not dro-” Suddenly, a thought came to mind as to why Levi would call you that. “Did you happen to put a blanket on me last night?” you asked suspiciously.

The once dictated man now appears to be an embarrassed sheep. “The dinner party is coming soon, I can’t have you sick.” He mumbled while pretending to organize the papers laid out on the desk.

So, he does have a caring side, you thought. But that doesn’t cover the fact that he’s just as capable of abandoning you in a snowstorm when he sees fit. Therefore, you hum in response, solely acknowledging his act of momentary humaneness.

Moving on, you begin to unpack the lunch set when Levi spoke up after the awkward silence. “Did you make that?” He asked quizzically.

“Yes, and no I didn’t poison it.” You responded with sarcasm.

He eyes you carefully, debating how he should thank you for making it for him, but then opted for, “You don’t need to make lunch, just ask Kirstein to do it.” _Just say ‘thank you’ goddammit._

You grab the bowl of food and handed it to Levi, “I like to cook. I don’t mind.” 

“Is that what you have been doing at the estate? Reading and cooking?” He said as he cleared away the papers and stationery.

“Among other things,” you answered, “you would know if you came home more often...where do you sleep anyway?”

Levi simply nodded towards the sofa chair to his left, “Here.”

Your eyes widen a little, “Here. As in this small office that doesn’t even have a proper sofa to lay down?”

He shrugs, “I don’t sleep much anyway, it’s fine. Can we eat now?”

Seeing you nodding, he proceeds to munch away. Your presence and previous lessons force him to take smaller bites than he used to before, but he brings his attention to your stare as if you were in deep thought. “Oi quit staring, thought you were going to start the snobby lesson.”

You lift your gaze at him and stood up, “May I try something?”

Just as he proceeded to ask what you meant, you already slipped off your gloves and walked to his right side to put both hands on his shoulders and squeezed gently. Your actions caused a jump from him, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He said as he turns his head to see you behind.

Your facial expressions remain calm, “Since you told me that you sleep on a chair, it explains why you keep rolling your neck side to side. I wanted to see if I could help.”

Levi rests the utensil on the table, “It’s just a small neck sore, it’ll go away soon. There’s nothing you can do.”

Feeling determined, you persisted and laid your hands on his shoulders once more, “Just for your information, I trained for physical therapy when I worked at the hospital. I know more about the muscles and joints than you think.”

He doesn’t feel convinced, “And how long were you trained for? I don’t want some shitty rookie breaking my neck.”

You roll your eyes at his skepticism, “I studied for three years and was a trainee for a good two years, now will you shut your potty mouth and let me do what I know?”

He wants to reject, but your hands moving on the sides of his neck makes him shiver slightly, suddenly remembering how you held the back of his undercut last night at the dinner table. He tries to pry away your hands, but you had already locked your forearms onto the sides of his head.

Before he could move away from such an invasion to his space and avoid being injured, you already shifted your arms and pushed his neck sideways with a swift move, earning a satisfying ‘pop’ sound.

“Ah, there we go.” You said with a grin as you let go. “Doesn’t that feel better?” 

Levi was prepared to yell at you for making such a dangerous choice, but as he moved his head, he feels the lessened pressure and strain. “Y-yes, it does.” He admitted.

You nod, “See? I didn’t break your neck. Now, take off your shirt.”

“Hah?” Levi said with his eyes widened.

Putting your hands on your hips, you give him a look, “It’s so I can assess your spine, Mr. Ackerman.”

He suddenly feels so stupid. Surely it was to see his back and nothing more. What was he expecting to happen in the office in the middle of the day? Still, he refuses, “No. I’ll do no such thing here.”

“Very well, we can do that at home. In the meantime, we’ll just go with this then.” You slid your hands back onto his shoulders and started massaging lightly.

Levi expected to flinch away from your touch this time, but his body chose to relax the moment you started rubbing. “Ahh, nngh, oh, ow!” He involuntarily grunts out.

Stifling a laugh at his reactions, “Just relax, I won’t hurt you,” you said tenderly.

Just minutes ago, the office was turning into a yelling zone, yet now you’re massaging Levi’s shoulders as if nothing had happened. Is this what a married life feels like? A give and take, finding the middle ground game.

After a few moments, Levi finally relaxes his upper body to your skillful hands. He’s never had anyone massage him before, nor accepted someone so quickly as he did to you. It’s uncomfortable to his consciousness but his physical body believes the opposite. Either way, Levi has no intentions of stopping you.

“Why are you doing this for me?” He promptly asked.

“What do you mean?” You replied with hands still moving.

He sighs before responding, “The lessons, the lunch, the massage…and putting up with me so far.”

Not fully understanding the reasons yourself, you stop rubbing his shoulders. “I’m not sure. Maybe because I enjoy helping others?” You paused and looked at the glistening light of your ring then said hesitantly, “Or maybe it’s what a wife is expected to do.”

He turns his head back to you, trying to register your reasons. “From now on, I don’t want you to do anything that’s against your will. I don’t care if it’s a wife’s duty or whatever people like to label it as.” Levi said strictly. You don’t see softness in his eyes, it’s still cold and impassive as ever. Yet, his demand made you wish that he would comfort you or at least apologize for the harsh way he talked moments ago.

Of the two weeks you’ve known him, your husband is just as difficult to read as an inconsistent journal. One moment he’s threatening you, the next he’s granting you the freedom many women desire in their relationships. Nevertheless, you’re grateful for the latter, “Roger that.” You said with a final tap on his shoulders.

The two of you continue the lunch appointment as planned; you taught Levi more conversation skills while he ate the food you made. Everything was back to normal on the surface, a calm before the storm.

* * *

**10:30 pm, Ackerman Estate**

Levi steps out of the police car and runs into the house as the rain begins to pour. He had phoned the house a few hours prior to inform that he wouldn’t be joining dinner tonight. The work on his desk had taken longer than expected to finish, but now that he’s finally back home, he feels the urge to find you.

Walking past the dining room and drawing room, he sees no trace of his wife. Charles eventually runs into Levi in the hallway and informs him that you are in the bedroom. This makes it more tedious for him to approach the woman that had occupied the good half of his day. He’s never set foot in a woman’s personal space, let alone enter a private room of the person he’s bound to. Sucking in his breath, he finally knocks on the door.

Seconds of silence and the sound of the rain tapping on the roof tiles, “Yes?” he hears you call out.

Levi clears his throat, “It’s me. I-I uh, just wanted to let you know I’m back.”

The thumping of your footsteps approaching makes him jittery as the thunder rumbled outside. Then, the door is pulled open to reveal a view of you in your nightwear. It was a thin, light pink cotton dress that reached just below the knees, covered with a fluffy white robe you had just grabbed.

“Oh, um, welcome home.” He hears you say as you tried to cover up your front. If he weren’t so tired, he would have turned around immediately and locked himself away for daring to look at your exposed neckline.

Levi moves his line of sight to the scene behind you, where he takes in the messy bed you were occupying. _It must be so warm and filled with her scent._

“Is the bedsheet color to your liking?” He asked rather weirdly.

He sees your confused expression, “Yes, it’s quite suitable. Mr. Ackerman, are you alright?”

Levi doesn’t answer as the thunder rumbles louder than before, his eyes are still focused on the bed with emptiness in those orbs. Then, you tugged his arm and led him inside the room, “Here, let’s get closer to the fireplace. The rain must’ve gotten your senses.”

There were a small sofa and table next to the crackling fire, and after you motioned for him to sit, the sudden loud thunder changes Levi’s demeanor as he immediately shouted, “Get down!”

Within a flash, he pulls you onto the carpet and covers you with his body. You attempt to push him away, not able to comprehend what just occurred. Feeling a small pain in your arm from the fall, you try to wiggle away from his grasp. “Mr. Ac-ckerman, w-what are you doing?”

Another loud round of thunder clapping makes Levi shout again, “Don’t be an idiot! Stay down, cadet!”

_Cadet?_

His body is shaking, brows creased with incredible pressure, eyes squeezed shut, and jaws tightened that you thought he would hurt himself. A realization came to you, Levi was reliving in the past. A time when fighting and death were all he consumed.

You called out his last name, but he doesn’t recognize it. He hears you say the war is over, but the endless bombing rings in his ears.

The rain falls down heavier and harder, windows shaking from the sudden vibration of thunder, both taunting Levi’s ability to think straight. Alas, a small voice breaks out, “ _Captain_? Look at me,”

It’s the title he loathed, a responsibility he didn’t want to take. But he forces himself to open his eyes and see which soldier was calling to him. A physique of a woman lays underneath him, he feels confused. _Where have I seen this woman before?_

The voice becomes clearer this time as the rumbling is softer, “Captain, do you recognize me?”

Blinking a couple of times to clear his vision, he sees the face of a woman he’s been around with for the past week, but he can’t seem to recollect who you are to him. “Y-you are….” He said confusedly.

Then, he feels the soft stroking of his cheeks as you cupped his face, “I’m your wife, remember? We got married about a week ago, and we had lunch together at the office today.”

You move your other hand to hold the back of his head, “This is our house, and right now we are in my bedroom.”

Levi moves his head left and right, seemingly trying to take in your words and recognize the place he’s in. Finally, he appears to gain some consciousness back as he moved to sit up, but his expressions remain puzzled. “I have a w-wife?” He asked while touching the nearest chair, confirming that he is indeed in a bedroom and not on a battlefield. Yet the idea of him being wedded is just beyond his comprehension. Who in their right mind would marry him?

You get up to plant a kiss on his forehead and hold onto his face once more, this time he leans his face into your palm. “Yes, we really are married. See? I even have a ring.”

“But where’s mine?” He asked as he lifts his own hand and stared at the bare finger. Levi was so out of it that he didn’t even react to a kiss.

Giving him a gentle smile, you move closer to him. “You forgot to wear it today, that’s all.”

Another clang of thunder makes Levi tense up, but he doesn’t push you down as he recognizes it is just the storm. His expressions remain haunted, not the typical impassive look you recognize. So, you reached around and pulled Levi into an embrace.

“You’re safe now. It’s just nature watering the plants outside and the thunder are drums celebrating it, no need to worry anymore.” You cooed while smoothing down his back.

Bit by bit, Levi relaxes in your arms and let his head rest on your shoulder. On the floor, you continue to remind him who he is and what he did for a living now. Slowly but reassuringly, Levi starts to remember the reality. However, the scent of fresh roses and soft exposed skin finally reach his senses and cause him to jerk away from your touch.

“Shit, I-I’m so sorry. Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He grumbled when his real self resurfaced. What’s more, his eyes widened at the way you’re situated on the carpet. Your white robe untied and shriveled from the crash, revealing your full shoulders and upper chest; legs exposed up to the thigh as the evening gown is scrunched up.

His breath hitches as you crawled a step to grab his hand, too aware of how his body is heating up to the sight of you.

“It’s alright…do you have flashbacks often?” You gently asked as you held his hand in your lap.

He stares at the joined hands, with sounds of your breathing filling his ears while he tries to calm himself down. “Occasionally. But it never got this bad. I…I don’t know what made me react so aggressively. Did I hurt you?”

“Well, you did push me to the floor and yelled in my ear. But nothing serious.” You said while rolling your shoulders to assess the damage. Lifting his chin to meet his gray-blue eyes, you continue, “But are you okay now? I can make some chamomile tea if you’d like and we can talk about it.”

His wife offered to make him tea and didn’t push him away. _I must be dreaming._ He gave a nod as the answer. But as you stood up and headed for the door, he grabbed onto your wrist, “Wait! Never mind the tea. Don’t leave…please.” Whatever dream he’s experiencing, Levi doesn’t want to ever wake up from this gentleness and lose the first person that accepted the way he has become.

The typical stoic man pleading for you to stay makes your heart tumble. The way he looks up with desperation, holding onto you as if you were his lifeline causes you to feel sympathy. “Okay, but let’s get off the floor.”

You pull him up, “How about this, you sit on the edge of the bed and I’ll give another massage like during lunch? People say when there’s higher humidity, old injuries tend to act up again.”

Levi stays quiet but does as you say. Sitting behind him on the bed, you start to rub away the tension in his shoulders and neck. “You work too much,” he hears your comment.

“It’s a way to occupy my…m-mind.” He groans out as you hit a specific sore muscle.

You hum, “What about your hobbies?”

“Tea and cleaning.” Comes a short response.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

You sigh and move to press his upper back, “Hm. It’s worse than I thought. Take off your shirt and lie on your front.” 

Levi hesitates, but he recalls from his hazy memory that you treated patients and is qualified enough for this. He lacks a good reason to refuse your request.

With the blanket moved to the side and pillow properly laid out, you shift your attention to Levi’s frame. His back was towards you as he stripped away his clothes. Then, he turns around and that’s when you notice the toned muscles of your husband. At that moment, all you could do was stare at the curves of his body, perfectly carved in a way that takes your breath away. Without thinking, you reached and brushed the tips of your fingers on his abdomen.

Tingles shoot down his spine, though Levi sees the way you paused at a particularly nasty scar on his lower left.

“Stabbed by a thief in an alleyway.” He commented.

The dim lighting in the room makes it difficult for you to see, but with every brush, you feel a different bump on his skin to signify another scar. Your silence makes him uneasy, “Do you feel disgusted?” He asked almost inaudibly.

You pull away your hand and rested them on his arm, “No. I’ve seen many scars from the injured before. I think they are unique in their own way; each gash and rough skin carry a story of its own. Come on, lie down.”

With every word you’ve said this night, Levi increasingly feels confused with himself. How did he end up with someone so understanding? Could this be the best choice he made, or will something backfire like it always does? He could ponder and come up with theories all night, but for now, he relaxes in the bed of a woman who’s touching away the doubt and pain.

Rubbing the muscles and popping the air bubbles on Levi’s back, you hear him grunt a few times. “You seriously need to stop sleeping in the office. It’ll only get worse.”

He flips his head to the other side, “Too much work to be done.”

“Then bring some of the work back here, at least sleep in a proper bed.” You pressed further.

He rolls his eyes, “Tch, now you’re nagging like you want to sleep with me.”

Hands traveling to massage his lower muscles, you spoke in a small voice, “But it’s what I’m here for, isn’t it? Produce a child for the Ackerman bloodline.”

At your statement, Levi shifts to sit up and leaned towards you. “And you’d be fine if I just take you right here and now?” He asked in a husky tone.

Withdrawing your hands to hold your arm, your cheeks flame up at his question, “I…I didn’t say that. But eventually, we have to…you know…”

Your blushed face and adverted gaze made Levi forget his previous flashback episode and instead want to tease you even more. “We’re already half-naked, why the wait?” He whispered close to your lips.

The sudden closeness of his body makes you shiver. You scoot away a few inches, but Levi managed to grab and flip you on your back.

His strong body caging yours makes you squeak. “Mr. Ackerman! I don’t think you-“

“Stop it with the titles, I hate that you still call me that.” He eyes you coldly from above.

He releases his grip on your wrists to let you stroke the ends of his undercut, “I’m sorry... _Levi_. But are you going to kiss me now, or continue to hold a plank position above me till morning?”

Just like that, you manage to extinguish his confidence. Everything he wanted to say came out with a stutter, “O-only if y-you want me t-to. Shit.”

You giggle at his change in attitude. “Levi, I’d prefer it if you didn’t mention excrement when we’re having a moment.”

He detaches himself and plants his face in the pillow next to yours, “I’m not good at this.” He muttered.

“We’ll take things slow.” You assured by patting his arm. “Let’s just go to sleep.”

He argues against it, telling you he has insomnia and that he’ll disrupt your sleep, yet you persisted that both of you need to be familiar with each other’s presence. After ten minutes of persuading, he sighed in defeat and aggressively turned and moved to the farthest side of the bed to avoid your reaction. You can’t help but chuckle at his stubbornness; you tell him goodnight with a yawn and soon dozed off on your side of the bed.

* * *

As the night becomes calmer and the rain reduces to mere drops, Levi delicately moves closer to your warm body. He observes the breathing pattern of the woman that showed him forgiveness and kindness. He also embraces the sweet scent of the bedsheets covering both of you.

Carefully, he moves a piece of hair out of your sleeping face and gently kissed your forehead, then whispered, “Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi: i is smooth talk boi  
> Reader: lmao bet 
> 
> This chapter was a bit complicated to write. Possessiveness portrayed by your s/o may seem sweet at times, but please know your boundaries and speak up when it affects your wellbeing. Always value safety! 
> 
> It's the last day of the year, but I don't feel any different lol. But let's go into 2021 with an open mind and make better choices! The current state of desperation and loneliness some may have felt this year won't last forever, as humans, we can surpass any difficulty. Stay strong and happy new year :)


	4. Satisfied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter touches on why I decided this fic to be mature. Of course, smut will be included in this story but sexual assault and victim-shaming are serious issues and should never be taken lightly.

**Day 10**

**7 pm, Boston Manor**

The night breeze blows on the ends of your dress as Levi glances down at the way you looped your hand around his left arm. He listens to the last-minute pointers of proper etiquette as he leads you up the stairs and into the large doors of Jim Boston’s mansion. Wearing his clean tuxedo paired with your glittery silver dress, Levi feels like he’s wearing a costume, or rather it was an imposter wearing his skin.

“Just remember, if you run into an uncomfortable situation, tug on my sleeve and I’ll help you out,” you whispered to Levi as the host greets the couple walking in front.

Small talk was passed around when couples entered the reception room. You wave at a few of the women and drank some champagne while dragging Levi around the place to greet fellow guests. Turns out, Levi wouldn’t slop tugging on your sleeve every five minutes at the reception and at the dinner table, causing you to almost want to wack his hand in public. You don’t blame him though, talking to actual people in a formal setting was a different type of difficulty, but you hoped that the lessons had guided him somewhat.

Steak was served, wine glasses clinked, and so the main show began. You cringed at the way the host Jim Boston boasted about his ‘booming’ business when the truth was money laundering and bribing officials, but you knew how to conceal the disagreement on your face. Moreover, his brief glances at where you and Levi sat doesn’t go unnoticed by you. His dirty eyes flickering makes your skin crawl with disgust.

The middle-aged old host taps his wine glass with a knife to gain the attention of everyone at the table. His rough voice booms, “I thank you all for taking the time to join me in this glorious evening despite all your busy schedules. Please make yourselves comfortable and enjoy everything we have to offer! Now, I also want to take this moment to congratulate the new couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ackerman!”

You motion Levi to raise your glasses and nudged him to speak up, “Thank you for the fabulous dinner party.” He states with the usual monotone voice, earning some raised brows and whispers from the other guests. Internally rolling your eyes, you forget how Levi can memorize lines but still can’t school his facial expressions and voice to match the words he says. 

So, you perked up to contrast his tone, “Yes! My husband and I are very happy to be here. Thank you for the toast.” 

The ten couples at the long dining table raised their glasses and congratulated you and Levi. All the while, your husband kept his eyes fixated on the plate in front of him, unable to take in the attention.

Reaching to hold his left hand for support, you notice the way he flinched but relaxed at realizing it was just his wife giving him reassurance. Levi turns his head to meet your eyes, and you leaned in to whisper in his ear. “You’re doing well, just hang in there a little longer,” you said and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek.

He doesn’t pull away from your kiss and squeezed your hand in return. That’s when the host spoke up again, “So, when are you two expecting a little one?”

A woman at the table pitched in, “Oh! Have you started swelling yet? Experiencing mood swings? Getting abnormal appetites?”

Levi’s eyes widen at the comments. It was a topic you never brought up during the lessons. He retrieves his hand to under the table and starts fidgeting.

You uncomfortably chuckle, “We are getting there. No need to rush.”

“But you’re newly-weds! The bedroom must be very busy,” another man comments with a smirk.

An older woman spoke up as well, “Besides, now is the best time to conceive. You’re so young! Four, five kids won’t be a problem.”

Levi stays silent and stares at his lap. This is too much. He barely kissed you directly, how is he ever going to have children with you any time soon? And five brats? They must be out of their minds.

Your face starts heating up at all the opinions thrown around the table. “We-we’re just taking things slow, aren’t we Levi?” you asked while reaching down to grab his hand once more, this time with urgency.

He clears his throat, clearly overwhelmed with all the awkwardness too. “Yes…dear, we are.”

Then, Jim Boston releases a hearty laugh, amused by all the talk. “My, my, let’s not pressure our honored guests. Let’s move to the cigar room. I think this is something we need to discuss separately.” He finished with a sly smile.

Not having a chance to reject and walk away, Levi is pulled away by the chuckling men and you by the giggling women. 

* * *

Smoke fills the air, jazzy music plays on the radio, and tipsy conversations travel in the room. Levi halfheartedly listens to the meaningless chatter while glances at where the ladies were sitting. You’re situated in between a circle of women, either berating or advising you on your choices of womanhood. He recognized your stiff body and clenched hands on the wine glass as you down another gulp. This would be your third glass now.

“Chief, let me tell you something about that pretty one you got there.” The host interrupts Levi’s observations as he lands a hand on his shoulder.

Levi stiffens with disgust but holds in the urge to pull out his pocket-knife and slice the slimy fingers off.

Jim Boston continues with his alcohol breath, “Women like her are hard to control, but easily persuaded if you choose the right words. Just take her father as an example, that fool had no idea what was going on until his wallet was drained dry!”

The men let out a round of laughs, but Levi stays quiet and still.

The host then slouches back onto his armchair and sips on the whiskey, “But I’ve got to admit, I would kill to have a girl like her. Such delicate features, a soft voice…tell me, Chief, how does she taste?”

Levi narrows his eyes and stares at the man, “What?” he says through his teeth.

“Oh, come on, does she feel and taste as sweet down there as she looks?” Jim asks with a smirk.

With sweaty hands, Levi doesn’t know how to properly answer this. Your lessons didn’t cover this unit and honestly, Levi would’ve sworn their heads off the moment he heard that question; however, he replies with the one sentence he remembers best. “It’s a complicated matter,” Levi said.

Jim Boston leans forward, “Complicated? Ah, she’s one of those that fight back, eh?” He beckons the other men to hear him through his lowered voice, “The best way to solve that is to sprinkle a little ‘sugar’ in her drink. Works like a charm every time, am I right, gentlemen?”

The others nod and hum in response, save for Levi who shows his face full of disgust without regard. “I will do no such thing. I could arrest you for drug trafficking and sexual assault.”

“Oh, I’m joking! There’s no way I would be involved in that business, let alone confess to a member of Scotland Yard right in my own home. But if you really need some help, just let me know.” Jim finishes with a wink.

Before Levi could say anything to call him out for corruption, Jim stood up and called out to the whole room, “Are we enjoying ourselves, my distinguished guests?”

Cheers and raised glasses answer his question. He adds on, “Very good! I believe we could do some dancing while we’re at it?” The women wooed in response and stood up to find their partners across the bubbly room. Unaware of what’s happening, Levi doesn’t notice the signal Jim pointed towards his direction.

Levi remains at his spot while observing your tipsy body leaned against the armrest with a dash of pink on your cheeks from the drink. Yet, your figure is suddenly blocked by three women approaching him. “Chief Inspector! Would you like to dance with us?” One of them asked with a high-pitched voice.

On the other side of the warm room, “Care for a dance, Mrs. Ackerman?” Jim offered with a hand.

With your brain a little fuzzy from the alcohol, you blink a few times before registering the question in your head. “Mr. Boston! Thank you for the offer but I shouldn’t be dancing at the moment.” You said as politely as possible. _Just leave me and my headache alone._

The middle-aged host persists, “Nonsense, my dear! I’ve seen you dance at functions with your father and other guests and you enjoyed it. I only ask for one dance, so how about it?”

_Why does he remember me dancing at those countless functions?_

A simple ‘no’ just won’t do it, and it’s rude to refuse the party host, you thought. You flick your eyes to where Levi was across the room, but you don’t see him in the sea of people. Setting aside your lack of excuse, you take Jim’s hand and state, “Just one dance.”

Singing and laughter mix around the dance floor, some couples have gotten quite physically close to one another, and you suddenly wished it were Levi and you swaying to the music. But for now, it’s with a balding man who cheated your father's money. 

Without warning, Jim reeled you in and held onto your lower back, causing you to gasp. You smell cigar smoke and whiskey on his body when he spoke close to your face, “You have grown into a fine woman. Your father must be proud.”

Stumbling into his sudden hold, you stutter, “Y-yes. Mr. Boston, I don’t think we should be this close, my husb-“

He twirls you once then holds you closer, “Ah, but the Chief seems to be occupied.” Turning you around, Jim shows where Levi is seated. He’s surrounded by three other women, each giggling and attempting to get his attention. You notice his struggle to get their hands off, but they were just as persistent. Seeing that, you don’t know how to feel. The only bond you have with your husband is through a ring and a certificate, emotions and a romantic relationship were out of the question. So where is this irritation stemming from? Should you be feeling jealous in this situation?

“Men just need a bit of fun sometimes, especially when their woman gives them trouble. But I’m sure you are doing your best to make his life entertaining.” Jim further comments while swooning your bodies to the rhythm. He adds, “Tell me, does he satisfy you?”

Head snapping back to stare at the sly face, you respond, “What do you mean?”

Jim chuckles and holds onto your waist tight, “Oh, you know, does he listen to you like a good husband?” He lifts one hand to stroke a strand of your hair and brushes your cheek, “and does he touch you in the way you like?”

You could feel his breath hitting your skin with every word he spoke; it was making your skin crawl with wariness every second. “It’s a private matter, Mr. Boston. We are doing fine.”

Not convinced, he spins you with the music beat and pulls you in with your back against his front. You feel him behind pressing his body closer while his oily mouth nears your neck, “You’re not fooling me, my dear. It’s obvious that he hasn’t even bedded you yet, which I find a shame with such a beautiful woman.” Slowly, the older man moves his hand lower to where your curves were, making you flinch and try to distance yourself from his actions.

His stubble brushed against your neck slightly, “I could always help you, satisfy you in all ways possible.”

At his proposal, your cheeks heat up not because the thought of an older man taking you out was pleasing, but it angered you that Jim was right. Levi made no notion to have a romance with you, let alone do bedroom activities. Furthermore, you could feel the bile rising to your throat at the sensation of this revolting pig touching you.

You forcefully turn around to face him and readjust his hand to hold your back instead, then answered with a strict tone, “No thank you, Mr. Boston. Levi and I are doing perfectly well, and please keep your hands dancing-appropriate.”

Through the gaps of the women surrounding him, Levi grumbles at the sight of the host touching you so intimately, the way his hand was grabbing onto you, face planted so close to that soft skin of yours. But the tipping point was when Levi saw your face reddening at something the older man whispered in your ear while his hand was so close to your bosom.

It wasn’t a blush you could pull off; it was a genuine one.

Abruptly standing up and surprising the annoying women that held him back, Levi finally walks to the dance floor and yanks you away from Jim.

“Watch what you’re doing, Boston. She’s _my_ wife.” Levi threatened with his hand tightly gripped on your arm and pulled you behind him.

The host laughed and rested his hands on his belt. “Calm down, Chief, I was just having a little dance with her.”

Levi doesn’t falter, “Oh really? Tell me, do you always get touchy with other men’s property?”

The host takes a step closer to Levi, “Only when I know they lack the proper care,” he stated confidently. 

Levi frowned then looked at you, face full of confusion and discomfort. “Excuse us,” Levi sputtered out and led you out of the room. Jim gives you a final wink as you are pulled away by your husband hastily.

* * *

Breathing in the cold evening air, you pant behind Levi as his steps quicken and brought you to the backyard garden.

He drops his hold and turned to face you with a bitter expression, “What did he say to you?”

“Just…just normal small talk.” You said with eyes looking at the grass.

He pulls your chin up to meet his stone-cold gaze, “Don’t make me ask again, I saw the way he held you and you were blushing.”

You swat his hand away to get out of his grip, “It’s nothing important, and I thought you were too occupied with those women giving you all the attention.”

He lets out a breath, “Do not change the topic, and I didn’t ask for them to swarm around me.” Frustratedly rubbing his neck, Levi continues, “Meanwhile you seem to be enjoying yourself in the embrace of another man.”

“I was _not_ enjoying myself. I had no choice! I didn’t even want to dance with him in the beginning.” You argued with an irritated expression while your head rolls back from the tipsiness.

Your husband scoffs and folds his arms, “Right, but with some alcohol and you’d let them grope you like a whore.”

“What did you say?” You said with gritted teeth.

Levi takes one step to you, intimidating you with that husky voice of his. “Do not play dumb. I see your tricks through and through. Flirting your way up and showing skin to any man to get what you want. He wouldn’t be all over you if you stopped displaying your body like that.”

You’re shocked at his revelation, “That’s how you see me? Do you think I willingly get sexually assaulted by other men? That it’s my own doing that caused them to grope me as they please?”

“Tch, you know damn well how men are like, so why put yourself in a situation where you know they’ll do stuff like that?” Levi pressed on with a glare. The truth being, he was jealous. Jealous that he wasn’t there to dance with you and hold you close, and even more irritated that some random old man got there before he did.

You shake your head, not believing that your own husband would condemn you for getting inappropriately touched. A pain forms in your heart, “Why is it my fault that they can’t keep their hands to themselves? And what motive would I even have?” you almost cried out.

Levi turns his face away brashly, “How would I know? You’re an unpredictable woman. One second you’re shut off, the next second you go kissing the first man that falls into your trap.”

The garden is quiet save for the soft ruffling of the bushes and the arguments of a couple, you hold onto your arms, “I didn’t kiss nor seduce anyone! You’re supposed to be on my side, for God’s sake. I’m your wife!”

“I find that hard to believe given what’s happened moments ago.” He stubbornly spits out. But it’s true, he knows he should be comforting you and taking away the pain, or at least threaten the person who stained you, yet he doesn’t do any of that over some resentment.

Rubbing your temples at his lack of understanding, you argued on. “Let me be clearer, I’m not some whore who seduces the nobility nor do I ever plan to. Now answer me this, if I slipped off my dress right here would you start touching me and take away the rest of my dignity?” 

“Of course not.” He said without missing a beat.

You put your hands on your hips, “And why not?” 

Levi gives you a disapproving look, “It’s ridiculous and you didn’t say you want me to…” His last words faded as the realization of the point you’re trying to make hits his brain like a wagon. “Tch, fine. Thirty more minutes and then we’re leaving this fucking place.” Levi said with a huff and prepared to walk back into the house, but you’re not content with how this conversation is ending.

“He said it’s obvious you hadn’t bedded me and that he would help me.” You confessed seriously with your head held high. 

Levi whips his head back and gives a cold glare, “His shit mouth needs to stay out of people’s business, and what the fuck does he mean by help you?”

You gulped, not certain if this was the right choice, “Help me as in… to…satisfy me.”

Levi strides over and backs you a few steps, “Satisfy you? What can a grimy man like him do that I can’t?” He asked in a low voice.

“I…I-,” you began while staring wide-eyed at the menacing look on Levi’s face. For a second, you felt weak under his gaze, so uncertain and afraid of what Levi is capable of. He’s someone you barely know, those lessons and brief married couple moments were merely a scratch on the surface of your relationship.

In essence, he’s still a stranger.

Levi continues to take steps towards you, causing you to stumble backwards until your back hits a tree trunk and the lighting from the mansion becomes a dim stray of brightness.

It’s just the two of you now.

“What is it that you want, hm? Expensive items? More parties? Or an old man’s dick?” He growled with his hands planted on the bark behind you.

Trapped, your stance weakens yet the small voice in your head pushes you to go further. “I…I want you to like me.”

It was a quiet confession, something you struggled to figure out in the past few days whenever there was interaction with Levi. Yet, this truly was the one desire you had. The massages, the lunch, the comfort, it was all so you could earn his affection one day.

He stops the dangerous look, suddenly guilty for pressuring you an answer he wasn’t expecting.

A wife he didn’t ask for, a relationship he didn’t initiate, and a new life he wasn’t prepared for. But here you stood in front of his strong body and battered mentality, helping him more than any person managed to in such a short time.

Levi sighs and drops his arms to hold your left hand in his calloused palms, “I…don’t dislike you.”

You scoff a little at his response, “I suppose that’s good enough for now.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose and exhales, “I’m sorry.”

“For?” you asked.

“For calling you a whore and saying it was your fault. I’ll twist his hand off if you’d like.” He answered with his eyes down-casted at your ring. 

Patting the top of his head, you hum in response, “That’s rather direct and horrendous, but I’ll accept half of that apology.” You hated holding grudges, and your sister would always remind you to not be so lenient. Though because you’re faced with a spouse who accused you of something so vulgar, it was a conflicted decision. 

Levi felt like a naughty child having you pat his head, but he thought he deserved something worse. A slap, a punch, anything but what you did. Whenever he did something wrong, it would always be harsh punishment, yet you just gently touched him and forgave him. Again.

He looks reluctant, but he lifts your left hand and pressed a kiss on your ring finger, causing your eyes to widen. “I’m sorry I kissed your forehead last night as well.” He admitted upon seeing your reaction. It felt like a strange sensation to kiss your hand, perhaps it was an act he observed from the loving couples around him and on the streets that urged him to try it. He still doesn’t know if this was appropriate for your relationship with him. 

“Oh, uhm…I don’t mind it because I also did that when you were on the floor. Besides, we really need to stop apologizing for doing couple things with each other.” You reassured him with an awkward chuckle.

Levi thinks back to what occurred last night. The rain and terror, but also the softness of your lips briefly. “Ah, I see. We’re even then.” He concluded.

Reaching for his chest with your right hand, you tenderly spoke, “I know this party and the conversations have been horrible and overwhelming for you, plus the talks about having children…”

“We don’t have to do that right away.” He quickly stated and not daring to look at you.

You continue, “Yes, I know, but if I don’t conceive by summer there will be talks about me being barren or that you’re seeing another woman. I think we both don’t want those to be gossiped around.” 

He covers your hand with his, “Why do you care so much about other people’s shitty opinions? This is our life, not theirs.”

“I can’t help it, it’s what I’ve been surrounded by all my life. It’s pointless I know, but this is how society works.” You said with an exhale.

Levi rolls his eyes, “Tch. Woman and society.”

Lowering your intertwined hands, you tug him a little, “Levi, how many kids do you want?”

At your question, Levi clears his throat uncomfortably and takes a moment to think. “I-uh, two?”

“Only two?” you replied with a raised brow.

“You want...more?” He said slightly shocked.

You let go of his hands, “Yes. Three or four is what I prefer. Since it takes six to eight weeks to know whether I’m pregnant, I suggest we do this soon. My next menstruation cycle is…-” 

“W-Wait, wait,” Levi stutters, “You want to have a b-baby now?”

Tilting your head sideways, you shrug, “I mean, we have to start a family soon. What else am I supposed to do as your wife?”

“I barely kissed you yet!” Levi blurted out.

“Then what are you waiting for? Kiss me now!” You nearly yelled back.

He arrogantly grabs your face and impatiently says, “Fine! I will!”

“Do it!” You dared him while staring at those gray-blue eyes.

Levi leans in but stops short when he’s just a hair away from your lips. “Close your fucking eyes, woman. It’s creeping me out.”

“I naturally will, you ass. Stop ruining the moment.” You retorted back.

He takes a deep breath, and finally presses his lips onto yours. It’s rough, slightly chapped from the cold evening. A few seconds later pass and he pulls away.

“That was a horrible first kiss, Mr. Ackerman.” You murmured.

“Fuck you. And stop calling me that.” He grunts out with a displeased look.

His embarrassed face in the dark garden makes you feel a sudden warmth, leading you to gently hold the back of his head and dove in for a second kiss with you in control.

Levi stares wide-eyed at the repeated closeness of your faces, but he becomes distracted by the warmth of your lips. Then, you opened your mouth and gently sucked on his upper lip. He feels tingles in the back of his head and shoulders and enjoys this newfound feeling. Imitating your movements, he begins to shift his lips to mold against yours. Within the next minute, he’s grabbed onto your waist and jaw to direct the kiss. A soft breeze ruffles your clothes and hair as he’s pulled you in closer at the increasingly heat and wetness of your lips against his.

Within each other’s hold, the world simmers down to a simple background filled with the faint taste of wine with whiskey mingling. Everything that mattered was within arm’s reach. The kiss remained innocent even when Levi pushed you back up against the tree. You let him guide you, showing him that you had begun to trust this stranger of a husband.

Eventually, the kiss slows down, and he moves from your face just inches away, “That wasn’t so bad, was it, Mrs. Ackerman?” He asked faintly with glossy eyes.

“It was…satisfactory,” you answered with another peck before revealing a grin. You don’t know if this is just lust, or that you even saw Levi as a romantic partner. Nevertheless, the gentle kisses Levi gave provided comfort, and more importantly, a step forward in this peculiar relationship.

His lips curl up subtly, a muscular act Levi has long forgotten since the war. “Now that’s out of the way, do I get to sleep with you?”

You playfully hit his chest, “Not so fast, Chief. Firstly, I want you to wear your ring every day, let everyone know you are taken.”

He sighs but gives in, “Okay, fine. What else?”

“Kiss me when we’re inside the cigar room, we need to publicly show that we’re affectionate, so others won’t stand a chance.” You added, “and I think one of the ladies wanted to recruit me to their wives club or something. So, give me another twenty minutes and we can go home.”

Levi nods in agreement but remembers the wives club Erwin mentioned before that’s linked to the Wilfred’s. If his own wife gets tangled in this mess, Levi is uncertain how to come clean with all the police work with you. He'll have to carefully watch the situation in the near future, but for now, he takes off his tuxedo jacket and wraps it around your petite shoulders. You smile at his act of kindness and locked your fingers with his as you two walk back inside the mansion. 

Just as you instructed, you walk hand in hand with Levi back inside the lively room. The reappearance of the golden couple catches the attention of some of the guests, and Levi takes this opportunity to give you a tender kiss before separating to let you finish up the conversations with the ladies. 

Levi hears hushed conversations about the public display and smiles internally. He’s proven that you’re his to touch only.

* * *

Back in the privacy of your bedroom, you fall asleep from the excess wine whereas your husband stays in his study for some unfinished paperwork. But it’s a shared circumstance in which both minds recall the incident in the dim garden. 

Tonight, in a dim garden under the clouded moonlight stood a couple that shared their first kiss. The first of many to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, first kiss b/w Levi and Reader didn't go smoothly at all. But there are definitely some sparks going on, eh?
> 
> I was a little inspired by the song 'Satisfied' from Hamilton. If you know it, then "To the union! To the revolution!"
> 
> Thanks for reading and see you next time ;)

**Author's Note:**

> If you'd like, please check out my other levi/reader "Not Hard to Love" fic!


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